http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/472264.html
The pick and roll had gone just fine, with Spencer Hawes catching so many passes from Kings assistant coach Randy Brown and finishing with either a layup or one-handed slam.
Hawes had the pick and pop down, too, sinking most of his midrange jumpers in a workout before the Kings faced Dallas on Saturday at American Airlines Center.
Then, in the clearest of signs the Kings rookie center is feeling like himself and nearing a return from arthroscopic knee surgery in early October, he informed Brown he was ready to score like the best in the game.
"What about how Dirk (Nowitzki) runs to the corner (for a three-pointer off screens)?" Hawes asked.
The coach, a bit perplexed, said, "Are we talking about you, or are we talking about Dirk?"
The No. 10 overall pick with the All-Star aspirations shows no signs of being slowed by the procedure on his left knee and said he's "ready to go." But even though the Kings are desperate for frontcourt scoring, Hawes is not expected to play in Tuesday's home opener against Seattle. He's awaiting word from the team's training staff as to when his NBA career officially can begin.
"It feels a lot better," Hawes said. "I'm able to cut on it. ... Now it's just a question of testing it out in practice-type, game-like situations and trying to see how it responds and then going from there. It shouldn't be that much longer."
The Kings are exercising caution, unwilling to bring back Hawes too early and set the table for another setback.
"He's coming along," coach Reggie Theus said. "A lot of times what happens with stuff like that is it's really healed, but it's just not strong."
Udrih waits – Theus said the broken left index finger of new point guard Beno Udrih also is healed, but he also might miss the home opener because he has not regained strength in the finger.
Udrih, who missed San Antonio's training camp because of the injury, could play Nov. 9 against Cleveland.
The pick and roll had gone just fine, with Spencer Hawes catching so many passes from Kings assistant coach Randy Brown and finishing with either a layup or one-handed slam.
Hawes had the pick and pop down, too, sinking most of his midrange jumpers in a workout before the Kings faced Dallas on Saturday at American Airlines Center.
Then, in the clearest of signs the Kings rookie center is feeling like himself and nearing a return from arthroscopic knee surgery in early October, he informed Brown he was ready to score like the best in the game.
"What about how Dirk (Nowitzki) runs to the corner (for a three-pointer off screens)?" Hawes asked.
The coach, a bit perplexed, said, "Are we talking about you, or are we talking about Dirk?"
The No. 10 overall pick with the All-Star aspirations shows no signs of being slowed by the procedure on his left knee and said he's "ready to go." But even though the Kings are desperate for frontcourt scoring, Hawes is not expected to play in Tuesday's home opener against Seattle. He's awaiting word from the team's training staff as to when his NBA career officially can begin.
"It feels a lot better," Hawes said. "I'm able to cut on it. ... Now it's just a question of testing it out in practice-type, game-like situations and trying to see how it responds and then going from there. It shouldn't be that much longer."
The Kings are exercising caution, unwilling to bring back Hawes too early and set the table for another setback.
"He's coming along," coach Reggie Theus said. "A lot of times what happens with stuff like that is it's really healed, but it's just not strong."
Udrih waits – Theus said the broken left index finger of new point guard Beno Udrih also is healed, but he also might miss the home opener because he has not regained strength in the finger.
Udrih, who missed San Antonio's training camp because of the injury, could play Nov. 9 against Cleveland.
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